New York Jets Free Agency Tracker: Updated Signings, Rumors and Grades
The New York Jets have a wealth of cap space, and a list of needs to match the money. Finding strengths on the Jets roster may be like Jacques Cousteau finding a dry spot in the ocean, but the Jets will have no trouble finding the money to pay anyone they want.
General manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles are in their first year on the job, but they have their work cut out for them if they want to turn their team into a contender. Thanks to the general thriftiness of the previous GM John Idzik, the Jets have roughly $46.3 million to spend this offseason, according to sports contracts website OverTheCap.com.
With free agency underway, we'll be getting a lot of news, rumors and updates in the next week, so consider this your bookmark for updates on the latest moves. Here's a tracker, complete with grades and analysis for all the Jets' latest moves.
Darrelle Revis Chooses Jets over Patriots
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The Jets were hopeful to bring their former star cornerback Darrelle Revis back for a return flight, and it looks like they will get their reunion with the All-Pro.
According to Darrelle Revis' agents, Jonathan Feinsod and Neil Schwartz, the race for Revis' services is over, and he has chosen to return to the Jets. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Revis' contract is for five years and $70 million, with $39 million fully guaranteed.
Revis is the kind of player who can completely change the complexion of a secondary, allowing others to land in more favorable matchups and allowing the defensive play-caller to get more creative and more aggressive with his decisions. Now, with Revis and Buster Skrine added to the mix, the Jets have already upgraded their defensive backfield dramatically over the 2014 season.
Revis allowed completions on only 51.8 percent of the passes thrown into his coverage, allowing four touchdowns while nabbing three interceptions and 12 pass breakups, according to ProFootballFocus.com. He also yielded a completion on one in every 14.8 snaps he played in coverage, the third-best ratio in the league.
Todd Bowles needed to upgrade the cornerback position if he hoped to execute a scheme similar to the one he ran with the Arizona Cardinals, where he had Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie at his disposal. With two moves, the Jets have brought themselves much closer to that secondary. For only $39 million guaranteed over five years, the Jets have added the prize of the free agent class.
Grade: A+
Jets Place 2nd-Round Tender on NT Damon Harrison
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There are some moves in free agency that are as obvious as a Hotels.com commercial. You could probably find a way to sneak Jets nose tackle Damon "Snacks" Harrison into one of those commercials.
The Jets placed a second-round tender on the young defensive lineman on Monday night. A second-round tender is worth $2.356 million, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, but it also opens up the possibility that another team could sign him to an offer sheet. If the Jets do not match the offer sheet, they lose Harrison but get a second-round pick in return.
Harrison may be an undrafted free agent, but his value to the Jets defense rivals that of Muhammad Wilkerson or Sheldon Richardson. He may not be a dominant pass-rusher up the middle like the two former first-round picks Wilkerson and Richardson, but he is just as imposing—if not more so—as a run-stuffer in the middle.
The Jets made the wise choice—and, really, the only choice—by making sure Harrison sticks around for at least one more year.
Grade: A+
Jets Sign CB Buster Skrine to 4-Year, $25 Million Contract
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The Jets were criticized for their lack of action at the cornerback position last offseason. This year, they hardly waited a minute to make their first move.
According to Bob Glauber of NewsDay, the Jets have signed cornerback Buster Skrine to a four-year, $25 million contract with $13 million guaranteed.
At 5'9", Skrine is a bit smaller than the average cornerback, particularly one who plays in Todd Bowles' defensvie scheme, but Skrine doesn't play small. In fact, he's quite scrappy, and according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Skrine drew 15 penalties (11 accepted) in 2014.
Skrine is an instant starter in the Jets secondary, and along with Darrelle Revis, he immediately improves a group that was hurting just a few short months ago.
Grade: B+
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Jets to Sign Seahawks OG James Carpenter
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When we talk about the Jets' need to improve their offense, the discussion often centers around the quarterback position. The Jets, however, realize that their needs span more than one position, and particularly on the offensive line.
According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, the Jets will sign Seahawks guard James Carpenter. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the move would help bolster the Jets' interior line, where they are at their weakest. Currently, their guards are Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi.
Garafolo also reports that the Jets were interested in guards Mike Iupati (who signed with the Arizona Cardinals, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter) and Orlando Franklin (who signed with the San Diego Chargers, also according to Schefter).
In the past two seasons, Carpenter has earned a higher ProFootballFocus grade in pass protection than he has as a run-blocker—an interesting stat, when you consider the Seahawks' utter dominance in the running game in that time (4,950 team rushing yards on 1,034 carries, 4.8 YPA). It's unfortunate that the Jets missed out on the two bigger names, but if Carpenter can improve in the running game while also helping boost the Jets' pass protection, he'll prove to be an excellent signing.
Grade: B+
Jets Re-Sign RB Bilal Powell
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The Jets have re-signed one of their highest priority free agents of the offseason.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jets have agreed to terms on a new deal with running back Bilal Powell. The former Louisville defensive back converted to running back a year before arriving in the NFL, but he has been underutilized in his time in New York. He earned only 33 carries in 2014, with Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson earning more of the workload.
Now that the Jets have released the artist formerly known as CJ2K, Powell's value becomes a bit greater. Powell is better suited in a role in relief duty of Ivory, as the two share a between-the-tackles running style.
That being said, the Jets' work is far from done. Powell and Ivory's style is so similar that the Jets will still need to find a back that can contribute on passing downs. If they can do that, their backfield will be complete.
Grade: B+
Jets Re-Sign OG Willie Colon
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The Jets have been aggressively addressing their woeful offense for years, but it seems one of the more important moves was to make sure they didn't lose one of their long-time starters.
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets have re-signed veteran guard Willie Colon. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Once riddled with knee injuries, Colon has started all 16 games at guard in each of the past two seasons. Despite his longevity, the 32-year-old will probably compete with 23-yeasrd-old Brian Winters over the starting duties at right guard.
The Jets are making a lot of changes, so it's important that they have some measure of consistency to help smooth the transition from the old regime to the new one. That being said, if the Jets don't address the guard position with a young option at some point, they could find themselves in trouble.
Grade: B-
Jets Signed SS Marcus Gilchrist to 4-Year Deal
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Aside from their obvious problems at cornerback, the Jets are also about as deep as a kiddie pool at safety. Calvin Pryor and Antonio Allen are young and developing strong safeties, but former San Diego Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist is in the fold to add some veteran leadership to the group
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Jets have signed Gilchrist on a four-year contract.
Gilchrist's coverage skills leave a lot to be desired, and he allowed completions on 68.4 percent of throws into his coverage and yielded five touchdowns with only one interception and a 112.1 passer rating, according to ProFootballFocus.com.
There are a couple of problems with Gilchrist's fit in New York: Not only is he not a dominant coverage safety, but he's also a strong safety. The Jets drafted Pryor in the first round last year, and he didn't have much of an opportunity to develop in his natural position as a strong safety with Dawan Landry filling that role. Unless the Jets opt to move Gilchrist to free safety, Pryor may have to play out of position a little longer.
Grade: C+
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